That suggested either carelessness or time pressure. Maybe both.
Which meant they might try again.
So Elara made it easy for them.
She announced—loudly, in front of several servants—that she'd be attending a meeting with Dimitri and Mira in the administrative wing that evening. Two hours minimum, going over final financial arrangements before departure. The kind of boring meeting that would keep her out of her chambers for a predictable amount of time.
Then she arranged her room very carefully.
She left one trunk—the clothing trunk—with the lock "accidentally" left open. Just a crack. Like she'd been packing in a hurry and forgotten to secure it properly. Inside, she placed a new traveling cloak. Expensive fabric, good stitching. The kind of thing that would be tempting to sabotage.
But she did something else first.
